A while ago I mentioned that I was trying something new in rock climbing. I am fairly busy with work and day-to-day annoyances and so am not able to get to the climbing gym as often as I would like. I needed another way to practice for when I can’t get to the gym and a way to build my endurance so that I don’t look like a complete goober when I do get there. After searching around on the internet I came across these…

….the Metolius Rock Rings. I have thoroughly enjoyed using these since I got them. I hung them from the ceiling in my shed out back and went to town. They have several different holds that you can do including a jug, deep incut 4 finger pocket, 4 finger flat edge and a 3 finger pocket. They also come with a training guide that seems pretty solid.  It took me about a week or two to build up enough strength just to do the first few exercises correctly.  It will take me quite a bit longer to get through the whole routine, but I am looking forward to the challenge!  I’ll let you know how I do the next time I’m at the gym.

So in my last post I managed to skip the main attraction of the whole park. Dinosaurs!!! Who doesn’t love to see dinosaur foot prints? The foot prints are conveniently marked throughout the park. Now I have to admit, half of the footprints didn’t look like footprints at all. They looked more like a hole in the ground. However, the other half where pretty cool looking.

On the way into the park, you can stop in and see some information on how the tracks were formed and what kind of dinosaurs roamed this area of Texas. They also have a few photo ops as well, such as…

(This guy was nice enough to stop killing and pose for me)

(I think this guy was in time out)

This was the first time I had ever seen real dinosaur tracks and it was kind of fun trying to find them down along the river. Until next time…

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of going camping at Dinosaur Valley State Park just outside of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. It got its name because…well…there are dinosaur tracks spread throughout the park. I would say that this is a nice park for those who want to get away for a night. It’s not really big enough to warrant a multi-day stay. There are several hiking trails that circle the park, but none are overly strenuous (remember this is north Texas…it’s very flat). I saw several bikers mixing it up on the trails as well. I would guess there are only 12 or so miles of trail total so if you were feeling up to it you could walk the whole park in a day, but most everything looks the same so I don’t think it’s necessary.

We ended up staying just one night at a camp site. Overall the place was clean and quiet. Camp fires were banned at the time due to dry weather so that was kind of a bummer. What’s camping without a fire? The next morning we hiked the big loop around the park, took a couple of side trails, got lost in some thorns and then called it a day. The temperature was nice and brisk and it was a clear day so it made the hike great. Not a chance I would be there in August though. Overall I would give Dinosaur Valley a….not too bad.

I’ve been wearing the same pair of Scarpa Cadore hiking boots since 1996. They were the first pair of “real” hiking boots I could afford and were absolutely amazing. This past December the Gore-Tex lining finally gave up the ghost, and now they leak profusely. I would probably try to make them work, but in the last 10+ years, my feet have gotten larger and I’ve outgrown them. So sad. Unfortunately Scarpa no longer makes the Cadore, and their lasts have changed… Why Scarpa, why?

My first order of business in shopping for news boots was to find a pair that fit my size 13 Wide feet… easier said than done. Secondary to that I wanted a full-leather upper, Vibram Outsole, and a Gor-Tex (or equivalent) liner. I spend a lot of time hiking in and around creeks, so for me, waterproofing is a must. People that spend less time in the water can usually get by with a few treatments of Nikwax Aqueous Wax instead of a waterproof liner, but in my case I need maximum waterproofing. I’m personally willing to sacrifice a little bit of breath-ability for leak-proof boots.

Most of my local retailers don’t carry many options in my size, so I hit the web and was able to try out several different brands – Scarpa, Lowa, Asolo, Montrail, and Vasque before eventually settling on a pair of REI Spirit III Boots. Thanks to Zappos, REI, and Backcountry.com for their large inventories and fantastic return policies.

The REI Spirit III’s are actually made by Raichle, a Swiss company that has been making hiking boots since 1924. The Spirit III fits fairly wide through the ball or the foot, and about average in the heal area. They have a mild amount of arch built into the last, and include a typical thin insole. The toe box tapers slightly at the front, which is where I’m experiencing a small amount of toe rub. This hasn’t been a problem on shorter hikes, but longer hikes with a heavy pack could be a problem. We’ll see. With the addition of a supportive insole, and tight lacing I don’t get any heal slip, which is often an issue for me because of my wide forefoot and narrow heal. Here’s the specs: Full Leather Upper, Gore-Tex Liner, Rubber Toe Guards, Padded Ankle Collars, Vibram Sole, weight 3lbs. 10 oz.

These boots are comfortable right out of the box, with break in time being very quick on both of the pairs I’ve owned. Both pairs? Yes, that’s right, I’m on my second pair in only four months. The first pair lasted three hikes before one of the lace hooks snapped off the boot. Not cool. Fortunately REI has a phenomenal warranty on all their products, and the boots were replaced with no questions. The second pair has been problem free so far, but I’m keeping a close eye on the hooks. I’ve subjected these boots to several miles of rocky terrain, hours submerged in cold creek water, and general abuse that all hiking boots should be able to withstand. So far pair #2 has exceeded my expectations. While these boots aren’t a perfect fit for my foot, they are very close. I’ll report back on their long-term durability after I have more miles on them.

Here are a few good articles on finding the right boots.

Boot Fitting

Buying Guide

I like outdoor gear… a lot. I like to research it, compare it, test it, talk about it… you get the idea. Right now there are countless new and innovative outdoor products, and it’s exciting to see that many of these new options weigh less, work better, and are more eco-friendly than previous versions.

I’m really excited to see outdoor gear companies researching and producing green alternatives that actually work. I embrace eco-friendly products and the companies that make them, but here’s the caveat, I’m not going to spend my hard earned money on a piece of gear if it isn’t completely functional and durable.

Last week I returned a brand new Big Agnes Copper Spur 3 tent that arrived at my house with three small holes in it. This particular tent is made with new DAC poles (eco-friendly anodizing process) and has an awesome list of features, not to mention it’s a 2008 Backpacker Magazine Editors’ Choice winner. I was drawn to the tent based on great specs, and the fact that Big Agnes is focusing on environmentally responsible products. I’m sure the faulty tent I received was a fluke, and despite being a bit apprehensive I’ll probably give Big Agnes another chance.

My point is this, with all the “green” marketing hype I hope that companies aren’t sacrificing quality for the sake of “going green”. The green concept is still very controversial, and many people see it as just another trend. For green products to be viewed as truly viable options, they need to be as good or better than their traditional counterparts.

Outside Magazine recently published a list of outdoor gear companies that are eco-friendly. You can read about them here.

I’ve always been intrigued by astronomy, so I was excited when I learned that there would be a total lunar eclipse last week. If you don’t know much about lunar eclipses don’t feel bad, neither did I. After doing a little web research at Wikepedia and NASA, I learned that a total lunar eclipse occurs only when the full moon passes into the Earth’s shadow, blocking the sun’s rays from illuminating the moon. During the eclipse there is total alignment of the sun, moon, and earth. Incredible. Anyway, that was the dumbed down version, so if you want to learn more about lunar eclipses be sure to check out both of the links above.

Last Wednesday’s lunar eclipse was visible in North America, South America, western Europe, Africa and western Asia. I’ll bet that astronomers and photography geeks all over the world were staring up into the sky, hoping for a cloudless night. I know I was. In fact, I completely zoned out at work all day, mentally rehearsing where I would setup my camera to get the best possible shots. My yard has too many trees so I had get creative and setup down by the road… That’s right, I am officially the neighborhood freak now. It’s not often that you see a guy out after dark in 0˚ weather, standing in a foot of snow, wearing a ski mask and headlamp, bundled from head to toe in artic gear, and standing behind a tripod while staring into the sky for almost two hours. I kept waiting for the police to show up, but they never did. Fortunately, we got a rare break in the snowy weather, and the sky cleared up for the duration of the eclipse. Here’s a few of the images I was able capture…

I don’t know much about astronomy, but it seems to me that it’s a lot like outdoor adventure, in fact in many ways it is outdoor adventure. The night sky is accessible to everyone, and you certainly don’t have to be an accomplished astronomer with a massive telescope to enjoy it. And like any outdoor adventure, it can be a very awesome and humbling experience.

This was the last total lunar eclipse until 2010, however, in August of this year there will be a total solar eclipse and a partial lunar eclipse, so mark your calendars and start planning now. All you need is patience and a clear view… oh, and maybe some thermal underwear (for really cold temps I recommend Patogonia’s R1 Pants and Cloudveil’s Run Don’t Walk Zip Neck).

How many times have you found yourself fumbling around in the dark with a traditional flashlight?  Nothing is more frustrating than trying to juggle a flashlight while setting up a tent, reading a map, changing a flat, etc.  I cringe when I think about all the backpacking miles I’ve logged with a heavy mag-lite in my pack.  Sure, it never failed me, and I could probably fight off a bear with it (or at least an angry squirrel), but it weighed a ton.  Thankfully Petzl makes a fantastic option that will free up your hands and provide you with more than enough light for most applications – the Petzl Zipka Plus. 

Headlamps have been around for ages, but I’m not talking about your grandfather’s old coal mining headlamp.  Today’s headlamps are light, powerful, durable and affordable.  I’ve been using Petzl Headlamps since the early 90’s and they keep getting better.  I was originally drawn to them for night hiking, but quickly found them useful for many other activities.  As manufacturers continually manage to squeeze more power into smaller lights, their usefulness continues to expand.  Being an avid nature photographer I am often shooting in lowlight conditions and I find that a headlamp is crucial.  I also use my headlamp for mountain biking, backpacking, working on my Jeeps, and the list goes on.

For years my favorite headlamp has been the original Petzl Tikka.  It’s small, lightweight, bright enough for navigating a trail at night, and the LED bulbs seem to last forever.  I didn’t think the Tikka could get any better, but I was wrong.   I recently upgraded to the newer Petzl Zipka Plus and it is simply amazing.  The Zipka Plus offers all the features of the Tikka, while weighing less and packing more power via additional LED bulbs.  Not only is it lighter, it features an elastic retractable headband, which enables it to be fastened to just about anything (I’ve attached it to tripod legs and bike handlebars).  Conveniently, the Tikka and Zipka operate on standard AAA batteries, offer three different lighting levels, are water resistant, and come with a three year warranty.

To my knowledge, Petzl was the first to produce mini headlamps and I’ve been using them ever since.  I’ve looked at other brands (Black Diamond and Princeton Tec) but I’ve had no reason to switch. My Zipka Plus rotates between my camera bag and my Camelbak at all times, and my Tikka now serves as a trusty backup.  I rarely go anywhere outdoors without my Zipka Plus, it’s that good.  Plus its green, the perfect color for an adventure!

So last night I was out photographing the Lunar Eclipse at 5˚F… it was bitter cold.  For me, photographing in the dead of winter requires seriously warm gear because I am often sitting or standing stationary for long periods of time.  After layering up like “Randy” (Ralphie’s kid brother in the Christmas Story) I threw on my North Face Nuptse boots and headed out into the cold. 

 The Nuptse is a casual base-camp type boot that insulates with 700 fill down.  It incorporates a rubber EVA outsole and a water resistant nylon upper.  My favorite feature is the cinch strap around the collar, which keeps the elements out and the heat in.  I treated both mine and my wife’s pair with scotch-guard spray to increase the water resistance, and neither of us have had any leaks so far.  MSRP is $69 but if you look around online you can usually find them for around $30-40. 

This is my second winter in the Nuptse boots and so far they’ve handled everything I’ve thrown at them, including short jaunts in sub-zero temperatures.  I’m pretty sure they were designed with more of an after-ski role in mind, but I use them regularly while running my snowblower or making quick runs to the store.  They’ve always kept my feet warm while moving around, but I wasn’t sure if they’d keep me warm while standing in a foot of snow in single digit temperatures for over an hour?  I have to say they did better than I expected, my feet stayed warm right up until the end.  These definitely aren’t designed for trekking, as they offer minimal support, but they are ultra comfortable and easy to slip off and on.  If you’re looking for warmth, minimal weight, casual comfort, and après styling then check them out.  

So in the spirit of adventure, I decided to try something new. I went to a local climbing gym here in Dallas, Summit Climbing Gym, and tried to give it a go. It was extremely intimidating to say the least. There were lots of people who all looked like they really knew what they were doing and then there was me. Before I got there I had already decided to try out “bouldering” simply because you can do it by yourself. As an added bonus there weren’t any people over there so I wouldn’t be laughed at and ridiculed for making a fool of myself.

I found climbing to be extremely enjoyable and quite challenging. You could make it as hard or as easy as you wanted depending on the route that you chose and it was very satisfying to figure out the problem of climbing to the top. Shortly, though, I was joined by several other climbers all of towering stature. My 5′ 9″ frame was quickly dwarfed by four guys who had to all be around 6′ 4″ and they flat out glided up and down the wall when they climbed. It was pretty amazing to a beginner like me.

So after watching them for a while, crying in the girls bathroom over my climbing inadequacies and then climbing a bit more I called it a day. With very sore muscles and feet I crawled into my car and decided that it wasn’t so bad and that I might even try that again.

The gym was nice by the way. Friendly staff, nice and clean and plenty of space to climb!

Sean